I feel like I need to start this post with a great big apology. They say you shouldn’t draw attention to the negative, but let’s face it….if you follow this blog at all, you’ve probably noticed that it’s been waaaaaay too long since our last post.

My sister chastised me the other day saying, “I am so sick of looking at those party pictures on your blog. Seriously, it’s time for something new!”

I wish I had a good excuse. I don’t….not really. So, I’ll just say this, “I’m sorry! Really sorry!”

Now that we’re back, I can’t think of a nicer introduction back into the world of blogging than by sharing one of our recent love sessions, aka engagement session or pre-wedding session, featuring super cuties ~ Danielle & Adam.

These two love birds will say, “I do!” next month at the gorgeous, seaside Wychmere Harbor Club in Harwich Port. And, we are super excited as these two they could not be more perfectly matched. Danielle is silly, fun and vivacious. She’s warm & wonderful and you can’t help but instantly like her. Adam is more serious, shy and quietly reserved, though having spent just a little time with him, it’s easy to see there is real depth to him. He’s like a big sweet onion, with lots of layers to peel. And, I suspect that if you’re lucky enough to be in his inner circle, you see a side to him that not everyone sees…and the rewards in that are no doubt rich!

We got together with them a couple of weeks ago. They’re both huge fans of the outdoors, so Andy & I took them to one of our special places and had a blast watching them interact. After 5 years together, it’s obvious that their love runs deep. See for yourself…

The look of love…too sweet!

Love these next two and the way Danielle laughs with her entire being…it’s sweetly infectious!

Swoooooon…..

I got your back, baby!

Our happy couple…are they cute or what?

Love is….laughing about nothing in particular with your best friend.

Snuggle time…it’s like “Hammer Time” only waaaay better and minus the parachute pants!

Wherever you lead….I will follow.

I haven’t said it in a while, so I feel I can indulge myself…..THE best place in the world is in the arms of the one you love. If this next photo doesn’t say it all, I don’t know what does.

The session ended where it began, back in the woods, which is where Danielle & Adam love to spend their free time. The light in the woods had changed and provided the most divine glow. Andy & I were like kids in a candy store, while Danielle & Adam just enjoyed each other and this time to stop and reflect on how lucky they both are. It really doesn’t get much better than that!

Be still my heart~!

hello, gorgeous!

And, once again…as it all began…with giggles & snuggles and oodles of love!

Like something out of an enchanted forest…dreamy-licious!

Danielle & Adam, thank you both for such a fun afternoon. We wished we could have spent more time together…maybe done a real walk in the woods, so Adam, you could dazzle us with your species identification talents. Some other time…yeah? In the meantime, we hope these photos help make you feel as excited about us as we are about the two of you and getting to be there with you next month when you say, “I do!”

With love & hugs, Chris & Andy xoxo

Every year around this time, the same wonderful thing happens….Andy & I fall in love….with fall. We love the smell, the way the air feels cool & dry and the comfort that comes from wrapping up in our favorite wooly sweaters. We love the sound the leaves make as the wind sends them scampering down the street. And the colors…oh, the glorious shades of red, orange, yellow, green & brown. It’s like a symphony for the eyes.

Two weeks ago, we headed up to Boston to hang with and photograph super sweeties, Lindsay & Chris. Like us, Lindsay & Chris also have an affinity for autumn. “I love fall, especially as it leads into holiday season….fires, family & good food = heaven!” Lindsay told us. We couldn’t agree more and thought this a perfect time for Lindsay & Chris’s love session.

The bello love session, aka engagement session, is something we like to do with all of our couples as it’s a great way for all of us to get to know each other before their wedding. Let’s face it….not everyone loves being photographed, particularly by two photographers they’ve only met once before, and especially if it means public displays of affection…which, of course, weddings do!

So, we think of these sessions as a practice run, a chance for all of us to get to know each other better, to warm up to one another and to let down our guards for a mutual exchange that inevitably results in lots of love & goodness…and hopefully some fabulous moments captured in beautiful imagery.

Lindsay & Chris’s session was everything we hoped it would be. We met them at their home, on one of the prettiest streets in South Boston. We choose this location after they shared with us that one of their favorite things to do together is to go for walks around their neighborhood, which, by the way, is super cute.

Peppered with great little restaurants, cute boutiques and the kind of happy hustle & bustle that the fringe areas of the city offer, their neighborhood provided the perfect backdrop for documenting love in the fall. To make it more fun, we decided to hit some of the places they most enjoy being together. Below are a few of our favorite moments with these two sweethearts!

As fate would have it, our afternoon together was one of those quintessential fall afternoons. The air was cool, but warm enough to head out without a sweater and the leaves on their street were at their peak.

One of their favorite spots for a good cup o’joe or a little tummy treat is the South End Buttery…so cute! And, ooh, the smells coming out of this popular spot were drool inspiring!

We jumped inside the dinner section of the Buttery for a couple of quick shots. It was early in the day, so it wasn’t opened for dinner service yet, which was great for capturing some private snuggles…

Next we headed to Coppa, one of their favorite spots for dinner…

While Lindsay & Chris enjoyed a drink and a giggle, we ran around documenting their time together…

I don’t know why, but some of my favorite shots of our fabulous couples are those in between moments, like this next one, as Lindsay & Chris walk down the street to our next location…And, can we talk about the super sweet sun flare. Looooove fall light almost as much as the colors!

Hi cuties…

Nothing says fall like a playful leaf fight…

two cuties cuddling + fallen leaves = heaven!

The look of love…

A stolen moment through some beautiful wrought iron…swoooooon!

Love & kisses…

Fall perfection!

Falling in love….

These next couple were taken on Lindsay & Chris’s front stoop and in their street….fall doesn’t get much better than this.

Ivy cuddles…

We ended our session with a little street walking…southie style.

Lindsay & Chris…thank you both for showing us around your neighborhood and for being so much fun to spend time with and to photograph! Your love is a tender & beautiful thing and we can’t wait to document your wedding next summer! With big love & hugs, Chris & Andy xoxo

There is something about riding a train that I just love….a feeling of nostalgia and romance; of ending up in mysterious far away places, of meeting new & exciting people; and, the simple pleasure that comes from merely enjoying the ride.

A few years after graduating from college, I packed a backpack and headed off on a cross country adventure, via Amtrak. I had been working in human resources for one of the major banks…BORING with a capital B! Uncertain of where I wanted my life to go, but pretty certain that I didn’t like the current path I was on, I quit my job and headed out to “find myself” or at least find some adventure.

I planned out a route that led me from Boston to Denver, Denver to Santa Fe, Santa Fe to Phoenix and finally Phoenix to San Francisco. I met so many fabulous & interesting people riding the train those few weeks and saw such beautiful places and parts of the country I had never seen before. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.

For Kim & Jamie, the train is where they found love….glorious, I-can’t-live-without-you LOVE! It all began when two unsuspecting people boarded a train bound for Connecticut. Kim was moving back home from New York after being laid off from her job in the city. Having to pick up her life and move meant lots of trips back and forth on the train.

One day while riding back to CT, a handsome young man sat in the seat next to her and they began to chat. Jamie had just got off work and was also on his way home to CT. For the next hour, they talked about everything.

As they shared stories, Kim felt a connection and wondered if he might ask for her phone number. Just as the ride was about to end, he did. Although, she wasn’t one to give out her number, something about Jamie made her reconsider.

“I just remember him being really charming and cute and funny, so I figured I’d give him a chance….and the rest is history,” Kim told us.

“At first sight, I knew that I would love to get to know this person,” Jamie explained. “As time went on, she continued to become everything that I was looking for in a partner. It wasn’t long before I realized how compatible we were for each other and just knew she was the one.”

Super cute, right?!

Andy & I just loved the story of how Kim & Jamie met and wanted to incorporate it into their love session…and what better way than with an old train car. Here are a few of our favorite moments from our time with these sweethearts, who will say, “I do!” this spring in Chatham.

AAAAALLLLL ABOARD!!

A little choo choo smoochin’…

Hey baby….ride this train often?

Happiness is….finding love in the most unexpected places!

Swoooooon…..Love the light, love Kim’s beautiful love-filled expression, love everything about this moment!

Seriously….are they cute or what?

Another delicious moment…just love Jamie’s seriously happy expression in this next one!

If you’ve visited this blog before, you’ve probably heard me say this (more than once)….There truly is no better place in the world, than in the arms of the one you love. Love, comfort, safe & secure…it’s all there in this embrace!

This one too….dreamy!!!

The look of love…

Okay, so they didn’t meet on the MASS trains, but still…pretty cute, no?

Love Kim’s expression & posture in this next one…so deliciously girl-in-love!

Fun, fun, fun…

S.e.x.y!!!!

Where two paths come together as one….so symbolically befitting!

After spending some time with the trains, we decided to mix things up a bit and headed off for some more fun with our sweethearts…

Couples who laugh together, stay together….

laugh & play….color me fun!

Sitting on the dock of the bay….no wastin’ time here…just snuggling goodness!

Kim & Jamie, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedules to come see us! Thank you too for sharing your beautiful story with us and for inviting us to be a part of this exciting time in your lives. We’ve had so much fun with you already and look forward, with great excitement, to being there with you as you embark on this next love-filled chapter in your lives! With love & hugs, Chris & Andy xo

It was the spring of 2006 and Sara, an East Coast girl living in the Windy City, was introduced to Mike, a Mid West native who was rooming with her friend and fellow BC alum.  Following introductions, Mike & Sara would occasionally see each other out at social gatherings with friends. Numbers were exchanged, but it wasn’t until the fall that they had their first official date. And before too long, Sara & Mike were smitten.

“She had a smile that I could not get out of my head,” Mike told us. “Getting Sara to smile quickly became a major motivator for me in life – that had never happened to me before with anybody and that is when I knew I was meant to be with her.”

In the years that followed, Sara experienced some family hardships, and through it all, Mike was there.

“Being in Chicago during those times and away from family was certainly a trying experience,” she told us. “In each of these instances, Mike has been my rock. I have never met anyone that does more to make friends & family alike feel special and loved. Mike is the calm to my storm.”

Next spring, these two lovebirds will say, “I do!” here on picturesque Cape Cod, a place that has always held a special spot in Sara’s heart.

We first met Sara & Mike in April, when they came to talk with us about photographing their wedding. And, like they were soon after their first date, we too, were smitten. There is just such an easiness about them…as individuals and as a couple and we were so excited when they asked us to document their wedding.

I know I’ve said this before, but relationships really are at the cornerstone of everything we do. Our photography is very much about trying to capture that something special couples and families share that make them unique. Equally as important to us is building relationships with our couples and families, because when there is trust and familiarity, getting great photos just gets a whole lot easier. To this end, we include a complimentary love session in all of our album packages. And although we do this more for our benefit than anything, we hope at the end of the session our couples walk away having had a whole lot of fun.

Here are a few of our favorite moments from Sara & Mike’s recent love session in and around some of their favorite spots in Dennis.

I don’t know what it is about this one that I like so much… but I really like it. It just feels very dreamy to me…what do you think?

The look of love…

Sara & Mike ended up wearing the expressions they have in this next photo quite a lot during our session.  Makes my heart smile. While I don’t have too many years experience, I think that being able to laugh together and not take life or yourselves too seriously is definitely an important ingredient in a long, happy marriage.

Is there any greater comfort than being wrapped in the arms of the one you love? I think not!

love, love, love….oh, glorious love!

There she goes again….We love our little Sara and her larger than life smile.

These next photos are for you Midge….Midge is Sara’s mom and she told us about this really nice stretch of landscaping along the edge of property not far from their home. We were all a bit skeptical about taking photos in front of someone’s property, but Sara & Mike agreed to jump on the wall for a quick photo.

This next photo is just after Mike & Sara jumped off the wall and high tailed it out of there….

Next we headed to one of their favorite beaches for some photos before sunset. The light at the beach was sooo sweet…really diffused, which made the beach colors just sing.

Since we were already feeling like rebels….Lifeguards only, you say? I think not…

Hiya cuties…

When I look at this photo, I can’t help but hear Stevie Wonder softly playing in my head, “Isn’t she lovely….”

Love this sequence…

Oh, if only we could bottle Mike & Sara’s contagious laughter and keep on a shelf in the office for those particularly long days of editing when we need some relief…

Mike apparently is very rarely without a baseball hat perched on his head, so he had to get a couple of shots with one of his faves, his Michigan State Spartans cap. I like this fun perspective Andy caught.

This is one of my faves that I captured…Sara & Mike just look so happy and I love all of the stuff going on in the background…the seagull flying and the departing beach goers.

Hey beautiful…

I’m telling you….nothing better than love….love this next one!

If the one with the beach goers in the background isn’t my fave, this one is. Again, it feels dreamy to me…

Sara & Mike thank you so much for making time for us during your brief and busy visit home. It was so great seeing you both again, getting to spend some really wonderful time together, and getting to meet more of your family, Sara. You all have already made us feel so welcomed into your lives and we can’t wait to be there with you when you say, “I do!” next year! Until then, we hope these photos serve as a fun teaser of the good things to come and also as happy reminders of this very exciting time in your lives and the lives of your families. Thank you again for making our jobs so much fun! Big love & hugs, Christine & Andy xoxo

One of the first people who really made us feel welcome when we first came on the wedding scene nine years ago was a soft-spoken man with kind eyes, an infectious smile, and a warm, generous way about him. It didn’t hurt that he also knew how to inspire some serious fun and could, with a spin of a record, move a crowded room to dance their faces off.

This man is none other than Cape Cod’s DJ extraordinaire DJ Danny Walsh.

A couple of weeks ago we photographed Danny with his fiance, Brandy, and her super sweet daughter, Samara. After attending hundreds of weddings himself, Danny will be the Man of the Hour this September as he & Brandy say, “I do!” at the Coonamessett Inn in Falmouth.

We are soooo excited to get to be guests at the wedding, but we wanted to let Danny know how much he means to us by doing a love session for him & Brandy…and of course, their love wouldn’t be complete without Samara. So, the five of us hit some of their favorite spots for an afternoon of fun. Here are some highlight from our time together…

Like me & Andy, Danny & Brandy have an affinity for Cupcake Charlie’s. If you haven’t tried these cupcakes, don’t start now….they’re addictive, truly! We started our session in the Mashpee Commons, with some kissing & cuddling and cupcakes…oh my!

Love this sequence as Brandy & Danny enjoy a little smooching, much to the embarrassment of Samara…so cute!

MMMMmmmmmm!

good cupcakes + even better company can only be a good thing!

The soon to be Mr. & Mrs.!

Samara is such a sweetie, and a very talented Anime artist. Love this photo of her and her beautiful smile as mom & Danny exchange a smooch.

The only thing more delicious than a Cupcake Charlie’s cupcake is a DJ Danny sandwich. Love Danny’s expression in the photo on the left, and the way his girls are loving him. Soooo sweet! And, can we talk about Brandy’s beautiful sea blue eyes…dreamy!

Hey handsome…

Love is….the comfort & joy found in the arms of the keeper of your heart!

The new happy family….

This next one makes my heart smile! Just love the look of love in Danny & Brandy’s eyes and how sweetly Samara leans on her soon-to-be stepdad’s shoulder. Swooooon!

Danny really is such a sweet guy. And, it obvious watching him with Brandy & Samara that he has brought much love, happiness & comfort to their lives. Yay! for love & new families!!!

Hey beautiful…

Samara really does have a special relationship with Danny and watching the three of them together is so wonderful! Can’t wait to see all the love & sparks fly at the wedding!

This next one is a bit edgier, but I just LOVE it!!!

Close ups…

Are they cute or what?

Hey cuties…

The look of love…

Home is wherever the heart is….

Brandy, Danny & Samara, thank you so much for sharing your special relationship with us in such a wonderful, open way! We had so much hanging out with all of you and hope these photos serve as love-filled reminders of this happy, exciting time in all of your lives!!! Thank you too for the wonderful dinner after our session! It really was such a great afternoon and we can’t wait to be there with all of you when you, Danny & Brandy, commit your love & lives to one another at the place where we first met you Danny. Lots to celebrate! Adore you guys!!! Big love & hugs, C&A xoxoxo